Kayla Saxton, a third-grade teacher at Mannsdale Upper Elementary School in Madison, Mississippi | Facebook
Kayla Saxton, a third-grade teacher at Mannsdale Upper Elementary School in Madison, Mississippi, was recognized with the Milken Educator Award during a schoolwide assembly. The award includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize and is given annually to outstanding educators across the United States for their dedication, innovation, and leadership.
The presentation was made by Stephanie Bishop, Vice President of the Milken Educator Awards, along with Dr. Lance Evans, State Superintendent of Education. Saxton is the only educator from Mississippi to receive this honor in the current school year. Since joining the program in 1991, Mississippi has had 80 recipients who have collectively received $2 million in awards. Nationwide, more than 3,000 professionals are part of the Milken Educator Network.
Dr. Evans stated: “The Mississippi Department of Education applauds Ms. Saxton for her hard work in creating a successful school community for students academically and teachers professionally through mentorship. As a new Milken Educator from Mississippi, we are proud she will represent the state’s achievements on a national scale.”
Bishop added: “Kayla Saxton creates a classroom where curiosity thrives and every child feels valued and motivated to excel. Her passion, leadership and commitment to her students build confidence, compassion and a lifelong love of learning. We’re thrilled to welcome Kayla to the national Milken Educator Network!”
The Milken Educator Awards were established by Lowell Milken in 1987 as a national recognition initiative aimed at celebrating excellence in K-12 education.
Saxton’s teaching approach emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world applications through project-based activities and storytelling. She is noted for helping reluctant writers become confident communicators and for maintaining strong relationships with students’ families while supporting students outside the classroom as well.
In addition to teaching responsibilities, Saxton serves as third-grade lead teacher and English Language Arts department chair at Mannsdale Upper Elementary School. She developed writing strategies that contributed to improvements in student performance; under her influence, her school achieved high proficiency rates and earned an A rating from the state as well as recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2024.
Saxton also mentors new teachers using methods such as her “response to literature” model. She participates on various committees including Leadership Committee and PBIS Committee—where she works on discipline procedures—and co-chairs programs recognizing both staff and students while leading campus literacy initiatives.
She holds National Board Certification along with degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi: a bachelor’s degree earned in 2018 and a master’s degree completed in 2021.
Recipients of the Milken Award receive not only financial support but also opportunities for professional development through mentoring programs like Milken Friends Forever (MFF) as well as access to collaborative forums such as Activating Milken Educators (AME). Awardees will attend an all-expenses-paid forum next June in Washington D.C., bringing together new honorees with veteran educators to discuss advancing educational leadership roles nationally.
Photos and video from today’s event are available online at https://www.milkeneducatorawards.org/educators/view/kayla-saxton.
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